He is the Jugendstil master, the founder of the Vienna Secession; his paintings – which sell for record prices – and his lifestyle are the stuff of legend. His portraits, the golden Adele Bloch-Bauer for example, and pictures of women, like Danaë, are instantly recognisable, emblazoned across coffee cups and umbrellas. However, what do we actually know about the man himself, who summoned up such erotic female beauty? This little book provides an overview of his life, his successes, his scandals and affairs. Set against the background of the Belle Époque, it recreates the world of one of Austria’s greatest painters, lavishly illustrated with photographs from Klimt’s lifetime as well as his best-known pictures.